Fuel feed



Dec. H, 9556 E. R; KLEMM, .1Rl 2,773,492

FUEL FEED Filed NOV. 5, 1954 iNvENToR E. RiCHARD KLEMMaJR.

FUEL FEED Emil Richard Klemm, Jr., Lincolnwood, Ill. Application November 5, 1954, Serial No. 467,052 6 Claims. (Cl. 12S-136) My invention relates to motor cars yand includes among its objects land .advantages substantial immunity to vapor lock at relatively insignicant costi fIn the .accompanying drawings:

'Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the -engine of a conventional mot-or car, indicating the application of equipment according to the invention thereto;

,Figure 2 is .a similar side elevation, indicating special expedients 4for additional cooling;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of .a combined fuel filter and vapor trap; and

Figure 4 is a transverse section through the unit of Figure 3.

Referring iii-st to 'Figures 3 and 4, the base casting 10 has an inlet 12 and an outlet 14 arranged coaxially and -threaded to receive conventional pipe connections |16. The body includes the peripheral outer lip '18 which extends down to an .annular .shelf 20. The inner edge of the shelf extends down to Ithe central -oor 2'2. From the center of the floor 22 the trap tube 24 extends up. The conventional cup-shaped filter element l26 is pressed down -against the cork gasket 28 gby thecompression spring 30 which is .axed to the -body of the filter Iby having two turns 32 at its ilower edge, of a size to be -forced over the ilter lby slight expansion, so that they grip the filter. The transparent housing -34 .rides on the sealing gasket 36 which rests yon the shelf 20.

Means are provided for holding the parts in assembled .position and for taking them apart quickly and easily for inspection, or for replacement of the filter element. The 'bail 38 has inturned ears to pivot it on a transverse axis at 40, Vand .at the top its bight A4.2 is pressed or Wel-ded into a groove in the head 44 of .a stud 46. The stud 46 carries the threaded wing nut 48, :and the inverted cup washer 50 is seated in a shallow central depression 52 in the top of the housing 34.

In the position of Figure 4, the nut 48 has been turned yto jam the housing 34 firmly against the gasket 36. To disassemble the parts, the user merely screws the nut 48 up as high as it will go, while holding the housing 34 in the position of Figure 4 with the other hand. This leaves enough clearance for the cup 59 to rise out of the socket '52 and the entire bail and stud and nut can |be swung over in either direction from the position of Figure 3. Then the housing 34 and the cup 26 can be simply picked up and replacements set in place.

Referring now to Figure l, I have indicated .a conventional internal combustion engine of the V8 type .at 54, provided with the 1fan56 .and the fuel pump 58 and the carburetor 60 surrnounted hy an air iilter 62 and delivering explosive mixture to the inlet manifold 6'4. All these parts are conventional. To equip such a power plant with the device of Figures 3 and 4, it is only necessary to cut the vfuel line leading from the pump 5.8 up to lthe carburetor 60, and insert the device. As thus assembled in Figure l, there is a riser pipe 64 and the short carburetor connection at `66, which are parts of the pipe that was there before the installation was made.

nited States Patent O The hotly A10 has fbeen inserted between the pipes "64 and 66 with the housing 34 extending Ivertically upward. Fuel coming up from the pump 58 rises through the -gate 68 (Fig. 4) into the Iannular space outside the filter and percolates through inside the filter and then down the trap -tube 24 and out through the outlet 14 to the carburetor. With or without the .trap tulbe 24, it will he obvious -that in case of the .abnormal temperature rise which causes vapor lock, .any volatile ingredients of the duel, ythat have heen vaporized, will rise to the top of the housing 34, and a substantial volume of gas can be stored there without interrupting the regular ilow of the fuel to the carburetor. Furthermore, because this housing dome receives th-e Iblast of air from the fan 5 6, the cooling action of the blast of air tends to condense the volatile ingredients, and such condensation causes liquid to refill the 'entire dome, While the lgases which might have caused trouble return Ito liquid condition .and join the rest of the :fuel on its way to perform its proper function.

With the trap tube 24 and with the device mounted with the dome luppermost as illustrated in the drawings, if there should 'be traces of water in the motor i'uel, that Water will accumulate in the lower part of the dome up to Ithe -top of the trap tube 24, and Iwill not =go to the carburetor and interfere with Iengine operation. The .amount of storage provided is ample to take care of traces of water in all Ibut the |lowest quality of motor fuels. If ywater accumula-tes and operation `becomes irregular, there is nothing easier than to lift the d-ome and Ifilter olf and rinse them out and put them [back on.

With the trap tufbe 24 it will also he .obvious that the same device will intercept and store both liquid and vapor with -the dome extending down instead of up. But in that case the vapor will accumulate around the tube 24, where the 4body 10 more or less prevents the user from observing its presence, while the water will accumulate in the bottom of the now inverted dome 34. Accordingly, the preferred position for installa-tion is that ill-ustrated. Practical operation over an extended period has demonstrated that about ninety-nine percent (99%) of the ditlculties due to vapor 'lock .during ho-t weather are eliminated iby the mere presence cf the device. However, -When extreme conditions result in vapor lock in a power plant .according to Figure l, the user need only lift the hood Iand -glance at the dome lto ascertain whether his difficulties are due to vapor lock or not, and a gas space is observed in the top of the dome, a glass of water poured over the dome will eliminate the trouble.

Others may readily adapt the invention for use under various conditions of service by employing one or more of the novel features disclosed or equivalents thereof. In 'Figure 2 I have illustrated the same power plant '5'4 equipped for service in such a climate as that of Death Val-ley, California, or the Sahara Desert. If the motor vehicle is provided wi-th an 4air conditioning unit 68, a branch pipe 70 lcan deliver cool-ant to `a cooling coil 72 surrounding the dome 34. With or without this cooling expedient, the dash board 74 can `be equipped with a water bottle 76 with its discharge controlled from the dash Iby a needle valve 78, .so that a slow water drip can be Idelivered to the outer surface of the dome 34. Because the dome is in the air Ib'last from the fan 56, the rapid evaporation of the water from the wet outer surface of the dome vwill provide a strong cooling action.

-As at present advised with respect to the apparent scope of my invention, I desire to claim `the following subject matter.

C( claim:

l1. -Fuel feed means for van internal com'bustion engine having a carburetor loca-ted 'at an elevation not materially less than the top of said engine, comprising, in combination: a fuel intake conduit located at a level 3, near the bottom Iof said engine; a fuel pump atsubstantial'ly the same level as said intake conduitpa riser for conveying fuel from said pump up to said carburetor; and a chamber for segregating vapor associated withsaid riser and located at `the highest point in said riser.

2. Fuel yfeed means accord-ing to claim 1, Ain which said `segregating chamber is at a higher level than .said carburetor.

3. Fuel feed means for an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination: a -fuel intake conduit; a pump receiving liquid lfrom lsaid intake conduit; a carburetor; a delivery conduit receiving liquid lfrom said pump and deliveringy it to said carburetor; said intake conduit and pump being both at a low level nearithe bottom of the engine; said carburetor being at a high level near the top of the engine; saiddelivery conduit rising from the pump level to the carburetor level; and -tr-ap means interpolated in said delivery conduit at a level higher than the fuel level in said carburetor; said trap means including an inverted dome for receiving and accumulating vapor emanating from the fuel.

4. Fuel feed means according to claim 3 in which lthe said dome is transparent and accessible, `whereby the presence `of vapor may -be readily observed, and a cooling medium, `such as cold water, :may be readily applied to said dome.

5. Fuel feed means according to claim 3 in which said dome also houses a `filter element; said dome and ylter element dening an annular clearance space outside said elernent and inside said dome; said dome and element having a unitary support defining an inlet opening upwardly outside said element into said annular clearance space, and -an outlet debouching inside said element; whereby the vfuel ow rises through sediment accumulating in said annular clearance space.

6. =Fuel Ifeed means according to claim 5 in which said `outlet has an upwardly opening tubular receiving end; said yreceiving end extending up .materially :below the lower end of said element and dening a second, inner, annular clearance space Ibetween itself and said element; sa-id second clearance space being sea-led at its lower end by said support; `whereby said second clearance space `is a dead end for storage of impurities in the fuel, of greater density than the fuel, such as water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,788,647I Wheeler lan. 13, 19311 1,884,615 -Dooley Oct. 25, '1932 1,932,676 Rockwell Oct. 31, 1933 1,942,549` Hampton Ian. 9, 1934 2,120,779 'Ericson lune 14, 1938 2,191,490 Mitterer Feb. 27, 1940 2,253,717 `Mclnnerney A-ug. 26, 1941 2,268,884 Linn Ian. 6, 1942 2,646,885 James July 28, 1953 

